If you’ve followed this blog for a while you know I sometimes feel too purple to function when working the shades o’ eggplant. But, alas, all four colors in Black Tie Affair are so creamy and buildable that even the clumsy (ahem, like yours truly) can easily use them to do a purple smoky eye.

Mad crazy big hearts for:
– Hot chrome packaging! Love it!
– Shadow texture. All four shadows are finely milled, smooth and soft. They also have *fantastic* color payoff. These shadows remind me of my beloved shadows from the Chanel Garden Party Quad.
– Blendability.
– Color Flexibility. The colors are matched well, giving you plenty o’ combination options. For a daytime work look, I’d apply the white color on my browbone, take the light purple from the lash line up into the crease, wet a MAC 266 brush and apply the black shadow on the top lash line. It would also work for a light smokey eye! I’d do the same browbone and lid colors and then apply black shadow on the lashline, fading the black into the darker purple color as I moved into the crease. Many looks await you in this quad, oy!
Itty bitty hearts for:
– Brushes. Honestly, why do cosmetics companies even bother? I feel like applying these shadows with lil’ plastic sponge brushes would be a travesty.
– Price. Oui, oui, it’s pricey but you do get a lot of eyeshadow for your money.
– Fingerprint factor. I know this is kind of knit-picky, but the cool silver packaging, unfortunately, picks up all of my fingerprints, which makes it look dirrrty.

Um, not that kind of dirty.

You might heart it if:
– You want to try more adventurous eye looks but need help coordinating colors (hey, I know I do!).
– You like Chanel quality shadows but not Chanel prices.
– You’ve been wanting to do a purple eye but have been too intimidated to try. The Black Tie Affair quad makes it really easy.

A girl’s best friend

Got a girlfriend obsessed with gloss? Get her Lancome’s Precious Carat Lip Gloss Jewel ($40.00). This cutie pie is cut like a precious diamond and made from Swavorski crystals. The color, Diamond Splendor, is a clear gloss with big glitter sparkles.

Mad crazy big hearts for:
– Packaging. The diamond packaging and crystal top give this gloss elegance. There’s also a very handy mirror on the inside of the cap, useful when you’re admiring your bad self glossing it up.
Itty bitty hearts for:
– Sparkle. I’m very particular about my glitter. Although I like the color of the glitter in this gloss — peach, pink, green and gold — I find the chunks of glitter too big for my taste.

You might heart it if:
– You like a “big glitter” look.
– You collect cute gloss.
– You want to hint to your significant other that you’re ready to get engaged!

Get the look: Purple smokey eye and neutral lips

Hallelujah! Finally, a purple eye that doesn’t make me feel like a drag queen. I used both the Black Tie quad and Precious Carat gloss to get this look.

Did I mention that this look is easy? Makeup newbies, you gotta try it!

Misery, all alone in the moonlight

Remember the MISERY GRIN from yesterday? Well, it was in full force today. At work our internet connection was out, and it took three hours and eight phone calls to a call center half way around the world to get it up and running. The entire experience was about as pleasurable as gouging my eye out with a blunt, rusty nail.

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Comments

Beautiful… I think I might have to pick up that quad… the colors look great. I normally love lancome’s shadows anyway… hmmm… Should I buy something for myself this close to the holidays… i’ll have to think on that 🙂

Oh Karen! That looks gorgeous! It’s definitely your-kine-o-quad. And the gloss is sooo cute in it’s little diamond outfit. How big is it in reality? I need some ice on my finger that is THAT BIG! Lol. Btw, what do you use to apply fluidline to your waterline?

Neutrogena blush, huh? How’s the staying power on the Neutrogena blushes? I could really use a new blush as I’ve lost any bit of color I had from the summer (I usually use BlushBaby or Nars Orgasm). I thought I may try a cheaper brand, considring the mucho buckos MAC received from me in the last week.

Ooohhh, Chanel event (here are the biiig, sparkly eyes)! I wanna know all the details!

That Black tie set is beautiful! I actually love purple shadows! I have fair skin and dark hair so I think it looks pretty good on me! I’m heading out to Walnut Creek tomorrow for the Nordstrom fragrance event, so I think I’ll check it out in person! Thanks for the (always) hot tips from the (always) hot Karen! 🙂

I *love* Neutrogena blushes. They are great for their price point and they have a very nice, natural flush (no sparkle). Soft Suede is warm and very easy to wear, and it’s my favorite vacation blush! (I also have Sunny Spice and Divine Wine, too.)

Miraculously, I managed to exercise self restraint at the Chanel event. I ended up just hanging out with the artists and debating on whether I need *both* Coco Mademoiselle and Allure Sensual. I know, I know.

Have fun at your Nordstrom fragrance party! Hey, maybe they’ll have those dark chocolate stars (I just had a few with my afternoon tea.)

Yeah, it’s always hard to exercise Chanel self-restraint! I always like talking to the artists and finding out what the can’t live without. It seems like now I’ve got to get my hands on some Chanel concealer, too, in addition to the foundation compact. Damn, I’m cursed!

I am secretly hoping you get that fragrance wardove so I can vicariously live through you, Glosslizard!You will need some hot perfume for your hot date night, ya know. 🙂

One of the artists was raving about the concealer that comes in a pen form, the Professional Finish concealer. She said that she like both the coverage and the finish.

I’ve been on a long term concealer hunt and the few things that you have to consider are how much coverage you need, where you plan on using it (under eye circles versus zits), what kind of skin you have, what formula you prefer, etc. etc. Right now I’ve been using MAC Select Moisture Cover concealer in NW 25. I like the coverage, and it doesn’t dry out my skin. I’ve also used Biotherm and Make Up For Ever Lift concealer, too. All of these are liquid forms which come in a tube. Lemme know if you have any other questions! 🙂

Great makeup website! I think this look would be utterly fantastic had you lined your lower lid (not the inner eye though, but just below that on your skin since you’ve already lined that with black liner) with the lightest color of eyeshadow. It would make your eyes just pop!